PEOPLELiberace's fabulous life and forlorn endIn HBO's 'Behind the Candelabra,' Michael Douglas and Matt Damon play Liberace and his young lover. The film, says Douglas, is a tribute to "the love they had for each other." Here's a look at the real Liberace, at one point the most famous entertainer in the world, and the actor who plays him. In this shot, he poses in one of his elaborate costumes.NONELiberace denied he was gay until his death in 1987 from AIDS -- despite the fact that his lover, Scott Thorson, sued him for palimony. At one point in their odd yet loving romance, Liberace wanted to adopt Thorson.NONEAt one point, Liberace was one of the best-paid entertainers on the planet. So protective was he of his image that he sued anyone who said he was gay.No CreditDouglas and Damon get intimate in the film. "You never say gay marriage but he's looking for a way to adopt him or codify things. On the one hand, it's silly, but it's also incredibly tragic," says Damon of the complicated relationship between the two men.Claudette Barius, APFor years, Damon was asked about the film."'Michael Douglas as Liberace and you as his lover. Really? You're gonna do that?'" he recalls.Claudette Barius, APThis is an actual jacket worn by Liberace during performances in the late 1970s. Liberace was known for his flashy attire and love affair with sequins.Carrie Antlfinger, APCheck out the real Liberace, and the actor who plays him. "He was a very big guy, barrel-chested," says Douglas of the performer who to the very end professed his deep love for figure skater Sonja Henie, of all people.David Ashdown Getty ImagesFeatured Weekly Ad